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Mother Nature's Toy-Shop
Mother Nature's Toy-Shop

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop is here in full — 42 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mother Nature's Toy-Shop
Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.
Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.
It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.
That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.
Find a potato shaped like Fig. 156.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mother Nature's Toy-Shop

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop is here in full — 42 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.
Line 2
Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.
Line 3
It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.
/ɪt ɪz dʒʌst ðə saɪz ʌv ðə ˈlɪtəl ˈæləɡeɪtərz ðeɪ sel fɔːr pets daʊn ɪn ˈflɔːrədə/
Line 4
That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.
/ðæt ɪz ðə ˈæləɡeɪtər frʌm wɪtʃ ðə ˈdrɔːɪŋ wɑːz meɪd ɪz ðə saɪz ʌv ðə laɪv wʌnz ðə ˈdrɔːɪŋ ɪz ʌv kɔːrs ˈsmɔːlər/
Line 5
Find a potato shaped like Fig. 156.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

alligator noun US /ˈæləɡeɪtər/

leather made from alligator's hide

From this reading “SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.”

alligators noun US /ˈæləɡeɪtərz/

plural of “alligator” — leather made from alligator's hide

From this reading “It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.”

Fig noun US /fɪɡ/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading “Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.”

Florida noun US /ˈflɔːrədə/

a state in southeastern United States between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War

From this reading “It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.”

pets noun US /pets/

plural of “pet” — a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement

From this reading “It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.”

potato noun US /pəˈteɪtoʊ/

an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland

From this reading “SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.”

radish noun US /ˈrædɪʃ/

pungent fleshy edible root

From this reading “SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.”

shaped adjective US /ʃeɪpt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading “Find a potato shaped like Fig. 156.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

sweet potato adjective + noun

pantropical vine widely cultivated in several varieties for its large sweet tuberous root with orange flesh

In this reading “SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.”

of course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.”

think of verb + particle

keep in mind for attention or consideration

In this reading “SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.”

All words in this reading · 58

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

155

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

156

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Find a potato shaped like Fig. 156.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

ALLIGATORnounUS /ˈæləɡeɪtər/

leather made from alligator's hide

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

alligatorsnounUS /ˈæləɡeɪtərz/

plural of “alligator” — leather made from alligator's hide

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

babynounUS /ˈbeɪbi/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

drawingnounUS /ˈdrɔːɪŋ/

an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

FignounUS /fɪɡ/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

FindverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Find a potato shaped like Fig. 156.

FloridanounUS /ˈflɔːrədə/

a state in southeastern United States between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

IFconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

legsnounUS /leɡz/

staying power

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Find a potato shaped like Fig. 156.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

long-tailed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

MAKEverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

onesnounUS /wʌnz/

plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

petsnounUS /pets/

plural of “pet” — a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

potatonounUS /pəˈteɪtoʊ/

an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

RADISHnounUS /ˈrædɪʃ/

pungent fleshy edible root

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

sellverbUS /sel/

exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading Find a potato shaped like Fig. 156.

sizenounUS /saɪz/

the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

smalleradjectiveUS /ˈsmɔːlər/

small or little relative to something else

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

SWEET-POTATO

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It is just the size of the little alligators they sell for pets down in Florida.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

WHATpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading That is, the alligator from which the drawing was made is the size of the live ones; the drawing is, of course, smaller.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Fig. 155 is a baby alligator with a sweet-potato body and paper head and legs.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading SWEET-POTATO ALLIGATOR AND WHAT TO MAKE OF A RADISH IF you have ever seen an alligator, a long-tailed sweet potato will make you think of one immediately.

Chapter 23 of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop by Lina Beard holds 42 sentences, grouped into 9 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 23 of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop contain?

Chapter 23 holds 42 sentences of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop by Lina Beard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 42 sentences, grouped into 9 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 23 of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop?

Work through the 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 9 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Mother Nature's Toy-Shop

Common questions about reading Mother Nature's Toy-Shop by Lina Beard on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop?

Yes. All 1314 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44440 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #44440, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mother Nature's Toy-Shop take to read?

About 109 minutes of reading across 263 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mother Nature's Toy-Shop section by section

How to work through Mother Nature's Toy-Shop section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Mother Nature's Toy-Shop

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mother Nature's Toy-Shop, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Written
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Didn't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Example
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Foxglove
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mother Nature's Toy-Shop; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.